Canadian Nathan Shepherd rockets up draft boards with strong performance at NFL combine

Nathan Shepherd has gone from the assembly line to NFL scouts’ sight lines.

The Canadian defensive lineman from Ajax, Ontario was the lone Canuck at the NFL Combine this year and he put on an impressive performance that has experts raving about his potential.

Shepherd began his collegiate career at Simon Fraser University in 2012 but played just one season for the Clan.

“I wasn’t able to afford to go there anymore. I took some time off, worked for a few jobs. I worked at a plant nursery and in electrical construction, as that’s what my dad does. I worked my way back to Toronto probably in spring 2014,” Shepherd told John Kryk of the Toronto Sun.

Once in Toronto, Shepherd got a factory job.

“It was printing off boxes for beer cartons or pop,” he told Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News at the Senior Bowl in January. “Basically, 12- to 14-hour shifts, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for two weeks, and then switch to 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. I’d work out either before or after.”

“Once I had enough saved,” Shepherd said, “Fort Hays (State University) had reached out to me via a junior college that had reached out to me. They basically said, ‘Hey, this kid’s ready to go.’”

Shepherd enrolled at Fort Hays State in time for the 2015 season. He walked on that season, paying for his first semester and earned a scholarship after his first season in Kansas. 2017 saw the powerful defensive lineman make 38 tackles, 12.5 for loss and four sacks, earning Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Defensive Player of the Year and NCAA Division III All-American honours. He was a key piece on the Tigers team that went 11-0 and won its first MIAA Championship.

1. Several evaluators are itching to get another look at Fort Hays DT Nathan Shepherd, who was injured at #SeniorBowl. Raw, powerful and violent. A few teams that have consistently drafted good DL talent like him. Could be a riser.

“NFL body, NFL movement skills. I’ve had a couple NFL people tell me that he’s actually bigger than Malik Jackson (2017 Pro Bowl defensive lineman), but offers that kind of versatility of inside-outside. He’s a powerful man and very raw. A guy that could affect quarterbacks and the run game,” Mayock said.

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Since he started at Simon Fraser in 2012, he would’ve been eligible for the CFL draft in 2016, even if he walked away from football for a couple of years. Out of sight, out of mind… in 2016, so he went undrafted. I guess this is why he’s on Hamilton’s 45-man Neg list.
An interesting story of perserverance and dedication.

Funny how we wish a Canadian North American all the best in prioritizing the NFL first but fly in a rage when A US North American such as Butler or Manziel wants to exaust all NFL avenues first. Also this helps bust the myth Canadian American need ratio protectionism. If allowed to participate in better College Football programs such as Simon Fraser they do just as well as anyone. Scrap the ratio and create several Canadian NCAA division 2 conferences West, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic. play US colleges in non conference games for big money such as Michigan or Ohio State.